Telegraph And Daily Mail Accused Of "What Looks Like Incitement To Race War"

October 26, 2017

Last night, you may have noticed a storm brewing around Cambridge University and their current curriculum. If not, let's catch you up:

A perfectly reasonable and civil online petition, signed by 150 people including University Women's Officer Lola Olufemi, was sent to call for the curriculum to include "post-colonial" or "BME authors" to avoid "perpetuating institutional racism" in the way the university teaches postcolonial literature. Just to be clear: no one was accusing Cambridge of racism, and students suggesting changes to the curriculum is commonplace.

The right-wing press, however, whipped up a frenzy to claim that white authors would be removed from the curriculum, which wasn't true. It's also worth pointing out that Cambridge University has condemned the online trolls and the press for attacking Olufemi. The university has also pointed out they will absolutely consider the request, because that's how this works.

Naturally, despite the group that signed the petition being mostly white people, the black woman was picked on. You can probably guess the right wing press' trajectory into the gutter, but below is a breakdown of the headlines and Twitter reactions, including Olufemi and Cambridge University's responses.

Olufemi is understandably now accusing The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail, the two ringleaders, of singling her out as a black woman and inciting racial hatred.

Olufemi appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour to discuss the issue this morning. You can listen back here.

Something v concerning about way Telegraph put only this young woman's pic & not more complex story on front page. As if to incite trolling pic.twitter.com/iVdSykYod2